Company Blog

To work as efficiently and as safely as possible, your chimney needs to be professionally swept and inspected at least once a year. These important maintenance services involve checking the interior and exterior of the chimney to make sure there is no damage present that could lead to potentially hazardous situations. When you hire a professional chimney sweep to take care of these tasks, you want to be certain that you are hiring someone you can trust to do the job properly. While chimney sweep recommendations from friends, family, and neighbors are always helpful, the best way to be sure that you are hiring the best person to work on your chimney is to ask if the sweep has received certification from the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). All Seasons Chimney is proud to have a staff of CSIA-certified chimney sweeps, and we would like to tell you why this professional credential is so important.

What is the CSIA?

Founded in 1983 as a non-profit educational organization, the CSIA works to teach chimney professionals, as well as homeowners, about the best safety practices for chimney and venting systems. A big part of this mission is their professional certification program for chimney sweeps. More than 1,800 chimney professionals in the United States and in Canada hold this certification.

How does a chimney sweep receive certification from the CSIA?

To become certified, a chimney sweep must pass two exams that are based on three publications: Successful Chimney Sweeping, The NFPA 211 (2016 edition), and the 2015 edition of the International Residential Code (IRC). Chimney sweeps also have a few options of study sessions to help prepare for these exams, including in-person and online review sessions. After completing the review, chimney sweeps have up to one year to take the certification exams. At the time of the exams, the chimney professionals must pay their fees and sign the CSIA Code of Ethics.

What is included in the CSIA Code of Ethics?

Although the knowledge and training that comes with the certification process are important, signing the CSIA Code of Ethics is a guarantee that the chimney sweep will treat you honestly and fairly when rendering his services. This means that when you hire a CSIA-certified chimney sweep, you will not have to worry about him engaging in unfair or deceptive practices on the job. You can trust that he is giving you a fair and honest inspection report (including any estimates of necessary repairs) when the job is complete.

Understanding the importance of CSIA certification can help you when you need to hire a chimney sweep to perform the annual chimney maintenance services. If you live in the Hudson Valley area, the CSIA-certified chimney sweeps at All Seasons Chimney are at your service. Contact us to schedule an appointment for any professional chimney maintenance, repair, and installation needs you may have.

Before you light your first fire of the year this fall, you need to have your chimney professionally swept and inspected. Fire safety organizations, including the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), recommend these chimney maintenance services be done in the summer to be sure your fireplace and chimney pose no hazards. Summertime can be a very busy season with vacations and summer camps, and All Seasons Chimney understands that making your chimney sweep appointment can slip your mind. When you forget to schedule your chimney sweeping before fall, you may have to wait for a few weeks before we will be able to get to your chimney. Our CSIA-certified chimney sweeps have full calendars from September to December, so it can be hard making the appointment on the date that works best for you. To help you be sure your chimney has been cleaned and inspected every summer, we offer the option of forward scheduling your sweeping appointment. This option allows you to guarantee that your fireplace will be ready to use as soon as you wish. We would like to tell you why an annual chimney sweeping and inspection is so important for your chimney to work safely and efficiently.

Removing creosote

When you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, it is inevitable to have creosote deposits building up on the walls of your chimney. A natural compound, creosote forms during condensation that occurs during the combustion process of burning wood. Not only is creosote stinky and dirty, it is so highly flammable that the CSIA has named it as a leading cause of chimney fires. This is why an annual chimney sweeping is so essential. If the creosote is not removed each year, it can build up in large accumulations that can easily ignite if the internal temperature of your chimney gets hot enough. All Seasons Chimney will reduce your risk of experiencing a dangerous chimney fire.

Finding damage that could cause your chimney to be unsafe

When the CSIA-certified chimney sweeps from All Seasons Chimney inspect your chimney every year, they are looking for problems that could make your chimney a safety hazard. Your chimney will be checked to be sure no debris is blocking the flue as this can cause carbon monoxide and other toxic gases to be forced back into your home. The exterior of your chimney will be examined for damaged and missing bricks and mortar joints, which allow water to easily enter your chimney to cause more damage. Cracked and loose bricks and mortar joints can also jeopardize the soundness of the structure of your chimney. If we find any damage or other issues, they will be included in the written evaluation of the condition of your chimney with photos of the problems. We will also provide you with a written estimate of the repairs that are necessary to make your chimney work safely.

Forward scheduling your chimney sweeping has many advantages. Contact us at All Seasons Chimney to learn more about this convenient option to make sure your chimney has been properly swept and inspected every year.